Bed Bug Bites VS Mosquito Bites: What’s The Difference?

Bed bug bites and mosquito bites can be quite painful and itchy. They can keep bothering you at night especially if one or the other is still around biting you every chance it gets. The two bites can look very different on close inspection, especially if you get to see the formation of the actual bites.

Mosquito bites and bed bug bites can typically cause minor discomfort. The bites can also be a means for the mosquito to transmit disease. Although bed bugs are not known to carry diseases, they can actually multiply rapidly, and you might have to get medical attention if you do get severe or multiple bites.

It’s important to figure out the difference between a bed bug bite VS mosquito bites simply because it can help you identify what kind of pest you’re having in your home so that you can prepare the suitable methods to get rid of them. It also helps you get the proper treatment now that you’ve been bitten. Remember, these two have different impacts on your health.

Knowing What A Bed Bug Bite Looks Like

When it comes to bed bugs, you should know that their bites typically produce raised red spots. But what makes it different from mosquito bites is that they often appear in clusters. It is also possible for the bed bug bites to form a line that follows the bed sheets. The bites produced look very irritated.

There are some cases however, where the bed bug bites will not look like red rashes, but the characteristic clusters can still be seen. What can make the identification quite difficult is that not everyone has the same reaction to bed bug bites. Some have welts, while others have severe irritations.

Just remember that bed bug bites typically come in groups and that they usually appear in places that have come in contact with the bed, the beddings, pillows, or the comforter. Some people are also non-reactive to bed bug bites, this means that some people will not develop anything after being bitten.

What Do Mosquito Bites Look Like?

Mosquito bites can also produce raised red bumps on your skin, and you can also get numerous bites. The main difference however, is that the bites are isolated, and they do not appear to be in groups or clusters. Numerous bites occur because there are many mosquitoes, or because one keeps biting you.

It should also be noted that if there is only one single bite, there is a high chance that it comes from a mosquito. Depending on how your body reacts to the bite, what typically develops is an ordinary welt, and not like a rash or very irritated bumps on your skin.

If it does look very red and irritated, it might not be because of the actual bite, but because you scratched it a lot. Redness due to scratching are typically accompanied by bruising, and by scratch marks. Blotchiness can also develop if you scratch your skin too much.

Other Important Factors To Consider In The Bite Identification

If the appearance of the bite itself does not help you identify the culprit, you can always look beyond it and consider other tell-tale factors. For example, if you see bed bug feces under your bed, then there is a huge chance that the bed bug is your culprit. Keep in mind that it can be very hard to spot a bed bug.

If you are in a warm area, with open windows, then the culprit must be mosquitoes. You can also try to check the pattern of the bites, as well as how fast you reacted to it. If you get bitten on areas away from the bed, then it might be mosquitoes. This is true especially if you feel a sudden sting and itchiness.

This is because mosquito bites can create a sudden onset of sensation, but the bed bug bite can give you a delayed reaction. Bed bugs produce anesthesia, this is why you won’t feel that you have been feasted upon by these critters until it’s too late. As a matter of fact, it can even take days for redness to develop.

A Few Reminders

You should also take note that not all bites can come from the mosquito or the bed bug. There are insects that will also bite humans in order to get nutrition from our blood. Some of these insects include ticks, fleas, and even lice. These insects are also dangerous because they can carry diseases with them.

Other insects such as ants can also bite you. The kissing bug or the assassin bug can create a bite that is very similar to the bed bug bite, but you should know that it can carry the deadly Chagas disease. This bug however, will typically bit humans near the mouth, hence the name.

Conclusion

If you have been bitten by an insect, you must first consider the appearance of the bite. If they are isolated red bumps, then they are probably mosquito bites. If they are clustered red bumps, then they are probably bed bug bites. You should then consider where the bite is and if that area is exposed.

If the bite area is in contact then the bed, then you should consider taking measures against a bed bug infestation. If the bite is on an area that is not in contact with the bed, or the beddings, then you might have to deal with a mosquito problems. You should also consider other factors other than the bite itself.

Try to check the bed if there are insect droppings underneath, and try to see if your room has been covered by a screen to keep flying insects out. You should also try to check if you can see mosquito larvae in rain barrels, or in areas with stagnant water around your house.

Have you experienced being bitten by an insect without knowing if the culprit was a mosquito or a bed bug? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.

My name is Emily Taylor, gardening is my passion and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone. I know that there are millions of people out there want their backyard and garden be attractive just like their front yard, so I am here to help you create your own backyard paradise.